Job 1-5 (English Standard Version)

Job 1

Job’s Character and Wealth

 ¹There was a man in the land of^(A) Uz whose name was^(B) Job, and that man was^(C) blameless and upright, one who^(D) feared God and^(E) turned away from evil. ²There were born to him^(F) seven sons and three daughters. ³He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all^(G) the people of the east. ⁴His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and^(H) consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and^(I) offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and^(J) cursed^[a] God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

Satan Allowed to Test Job

 ⁶Now there was a day when^(K) the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and^(L) Satan^[b] also came among them. ⁷The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From^(M) going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." ⁸And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you^(N) considered my^(O) servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth,^(P) a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" ⁹Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰Have you not put^(Q) a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have^(R) blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹But^(S) stretch out your hand and^(T) touch all that he has, and he will^(U) curse you^(V) to your face." ¹²And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Satan Takes Job’s Property and Children

 ¹³Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵and^(W) the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants^[c] with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." ¹⁶While he was yet speaking, there came another and said,^(X) "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." ¹⁷While he was yet speaking, there came another and said,^(Y) "The Chaldeans formed^(Z) three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." ¹⁸While he was yet speaking, there came another and said,^(AA) "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹and behold, a great wind came across^(AB) the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

 ²⁰Then Job arose and^(AC) tore his^(AD) robe and^(AE) shaved his head^(AF) and fell on the ground and worshiped. ²¹And he said,^(AG) "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I^(AH) return. The LORD^(AI) gave, and the LORD has taken away;^(AJ) blessed be the name of the LORD."

 ^22(AK) In all this Job did not sin or charge God with^(AL) wrong.

Job 2

Satan Attacks Job’s Health

 ¹Again^(AM) there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. ²And the LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." ³And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still^(AN) holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him^(AO) without reason." ⁴Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. ⁵But^(AP) stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will^(AQ) curse you to your face." ⁶And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life."

 ⁷So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome^(AR) sores from^(AS) the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸And he took^(AT) a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in^(AU) the ashes.

 ⁹Then his wife said to him, "Do you still^(AV) hold fast your integrity?^(AW) Curse God and die." ¹⁰But he said to her, "You speak as one of the^(AX) foolish women would speak.^(AY) Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"^[d](AZ) In all this Job did not^(BA) sin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends

 ¹¹Now when Job’s three^(BB) friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz^(BC) the Temanite, Bildad^(BD) the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to^(BE) show him sympathy and comfort him. ¹²And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they^(BF) tore their robes and sprinkled^(BG) dust on their heads toward heaven. ¹³And they sat with him on the ground^(BH) seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job 3

Job Laments His Birth

 ¹After this Job^(BI) opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ²And Job said:
 ^3(BJ) "Let the day perish on which I was born,
   and the night that said,
   'A man is conceived.'
⁴Let that day be darkness!
   May God above not seek it,
   nor light shine upon it.
⁵Let gloom and^(BK) deep darkness claim it.
   Let clouds dwell upon it;
   let the blackness of the day terrify it.
⁶That night—let thick darkness seize it!
   Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;
   let it not come into the number of the months.
⁷Behold, let that night be barren;
   let no joyful cry enter it.
⁸Let those curse it who curse the day,
   who are ready to rouse up^(BL) Leviathan.
⁹Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
   let it hope for light, but have none,
   nor see^(BM) the eyelids of the morning,
¹⁰because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,
   nor hide trouble from my eyes.

 ¹¹"Why^(BN) did I not die at birth,
   come out from the womb and expire?
¹²Why did^(BO) the knees receive me?
   Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
¹³For then I would have lain down and been quiet;
   I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,
¹⁴with kings and counselors of the earth
   who^(BP) rebuilt ruins for themselves,
¹⁵or with princes who had gold,
   who filled their houses with silver.
¹⁶Or why was I not as a hidden^(BQ) stillborn child,
   as infants who never see the light?
¹⁷There the wicked cease from troubling,
   and there the weary are at^(BR) rest.
¹⁸There the prisoners are at ease together;
   they hear not the voice of^(BS) the taskmaster.
¹⁹The small and the great are there,
   and the slave is free from his master.

 ²⁰"Why is light given to him who is in misery,
   and life to^(BT) the bitter in soul,
²¹who^(BU) long for death, but it comes not,
   and dig for it more than for^(BV) hidden treasures,
²²who rejoice exceedingly
   and are glad when they find the grave?
²³Why is light given to a man whose^(BW) way is hidden,
   whom God has^(BX) hedged in?
²⁴For my sighing comes^(BY) instead of^[e] my bread,
   and my^(BZ) groanings are poured out like water.
^25(CA) For the thing that I fear comes upon me,
   and what I dread befalls me.
²⁶I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
   I have no rest, but trouble comes."

Job 4

Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper

 ¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
 ²"If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
   Yet who can keep from speaking?
³Behold, you have instructed many,
   and you have^(CB) strengthened the weak hands.
⁴Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
   and you have^(CC) made firm the feeble knees.
⁵But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
   it touches you, and you are dismayed.
^6(CD) Is not your fear of God^[f] your^(CE) confidence,
   and the integrity of your ways your hope?

 ⁷"Remember:^(CF) who that was innocent ever perished?
   Or where were the upright cut off?
⁸As I have seen, those who^(CG) plow iniquity
   and sow trouble reap the same.
⁹By^(CH) the breath of God they perish,
   and by^(CI) the blast of his anger they are consumed.
¹⁰The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,
   ^(CJ) the teeth of the young lions are broken.
¹¹The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,
   and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

 ¹²"Now a word was brought to me stealthily;
   my ear received^(CK) the whisper of it.
¹³Amid^(CL) thoughts from^(CM) visions of the night,
   when deep sleep falls on men,
¹⁴dread came upon me, and trembling,
   which made all my bones shake.
¹⁵A spirit glided past my face;
   the hair of my flesh stood up.
¹⁶It stood still,
   but I could not discern its appearance.
^(CN) A form was before my eyes;
   there was silence, then I heard^(CO) a voice:
^17(CP) 'Can mortal man be in the right before^[g] God?
   Can a man be pure before his Maker?
¹⁸Even in his servants^(CQ) he puts no trust,
   and his angels he charges with error;
¹⁹how much more those who dwell in houses of^(CR) clay,
   whose foundation is in^(CS) the dust,
   who are crushed like^(CT) the moth.
²⁰Between^(CU) morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;
   they perish forever^(CV) without anyone regarding it.
²¹Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,
   ^(CW) do they not die, and that without wisdom?'

Job 5

 ¹"Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
   To which of^(CX) the holy ones will you turn?
²Surely vexation kills the fool,
   and jealousy slays the simple.
^3(CY) I have seen the fool taking root,
   but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
⁴His children are^(CZ) far from safety;
   they are crushed in^(DA) the gate,
   and there is no one to deliver them.
⁵The hungry eat his harvest,
   and he takes it even out of thorns,^[h]
   and the thirsty pant^[i] after his^[j] wealth.
⁶For affliction does not come from the dust,
   nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
⁷but man is^(DB) born to trouble
   as the sparks fly upward.

 ⁸"As for me, I would seek God,
   and to God would I commit my cause,
⁹who^(DC) does great things and^(DD) unsearchable,
   ^(DE) marvelous things without number:
¹⁰he gives^(DF) rain on the earth
   and sends waters on the fields;
¹¹he^(DG) sets on high those who are lowly,
   and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
¹²He^(DH) frustrates the devices of the crafty,
   so that their hands achieve no success.
¹³He^(DI) catches the wise in their own craftiness,
   and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
¹⁴They meet with darkness in the daytime
   and^(DJ) grope at noonday as in the night.
¹⁵But he^(DK) saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
   and from the hand of the mighty.
¹⁶So the poor have hope,
   and^(DL) injustice shuts her mouth.

 ¹⁷"Behold,^(DM) blessed is the one whom God reproves;
   therefore^(DN) despise not the discipline of the^(DO) Almighty.
¹⁸For he wounds, but he^(DP) binds up;
   he^(DQ) shatters, but his hands heal.
¹⁹He will^(DR) deliver you from six troubles;
   in seven no^(DS) evil^[k] shall touch you.
^20(DT) In famine he will redeem you from death,
   and in war from the power of the sword.
²¹You shall be^(DU) hidden from the lash of the tongue,
   and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
²²At destruction and famine you shall laugh,
   and shall not fear^(DV) the beasts of the earth.
²³For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
   and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
²⁴You shall know that your^(DW) tent is at peace,
   and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
²⁵You shall know also that your^(DX) offspring shall be many,
   and your descendants as^(DY) the grass of the earth.
²⁶You shall come to your grave in^(DZ) ripe old age,
   like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
²⁷Behold, this we have^(EA) searched out; it is true.
   Hear, and know it for your good."^[l]